Human Connection is the key for business and the DEMA show 2026.
Human connection. In a world of evolving artificial intelligence, everything is seemingly turning toward massive processing power to solve mundane problems. From baking a cake to calculating decompression stages, AI is everywhere, and it will continue to become part of nearly every aspect of our daily lives.As this issue is published, we will be a mere 60 days or so from the opening of the 2026 DEMA Show in New Orleans on November 3rd.
But what do people really seek? Human connection.
Ask someone from Gen Z about AI, and you may get a very different answer than you would from an older generation. They have grown up with technology and are often considered our earliest adopters, yet many are cautious about trusting it. In a recent conversation with my youngest, a recent university graduate, I was told, “I don’t trust it blindly and am very cautious about using it for decision-making. I think of AI more as a complex spell-check than an intelligent entity to go to for advice.”
That desire for human advice is showing up around the world, especially in travel. A recent Cayman Compass article reported that geopolitical uncertainty, changing entry requirements, airline schedule disruptions, and increasingly complex itineraries are driving travelers back to travel advisors.
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A 2026 Internova Travel Group survey of 4,000 travelers found that 62% expected to use a travel advisor to plan and book their trips this year, up from 47% last year. The more complicated the trip, the more likely travelers were to seek help.
A separate Global Business Travel Review found that online booking declined across several major international routes during the first half of 2026. An Expedia Group survey also found that travelers are increasingly comfortable using AI to research destinations and build itineraries, but remain cautious about allowing it to complete their bookings.
For dive retailers, this should sound familiar. About 90% of U.S. dive retailers sell group travel, and serve as trusted travel advisors by doing so. They know which destinations fit a diver’s experience, what equipment will be needed, and what details could turn a complicated journey into a successful one. More importantly, when something goes wrong, there is a real person to call.
That same need for connection is why the DEMA Show matters now more than ever.
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The Show is not simply a place to see new products, attend seminars, or place orders. It is where our industry comes together face to face. It is where retailers can ask manufacturers difficult questions, destinations can build trust with the people who will bring them guests, and a conversation in an aisle can become a new partnership.
Technology can help us research, organize and communicate. But it cannot replace the confidence that comes from shaking someone’s hand.
As we gather in New Orleans for the 50th anniversary of the DEMA Show, remember that our greatest value has never been information alone. It is our experience, our judgment, our relationships, and our willingness to help one another.
In an increasingly automated world, we are needed now more than ever.
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